|
House Bill 1633 |
House Author: Romero, Jr. |
|
Effective: Vetoed |
Senate Sponsor: Uresti |
House Bill 1633 amends the Natural Resources Code to require the Railroad Commission of Texas to adopt rules to require that an application for a permit to drill an oil or gas well include an affirmation as to whether or not the well is located in or near an easement held by the Texas Department of Transportation.
Reason Given for Veto: "Oil and gas companies are already required to report the location of their wells to the State, via the Texas Railroad Commission. The problem House Bill 1633 seeks to solve is that the Texas Railroad Commission and the Texas Department of Transportation do not communicate effectively with one another when an oil and gas producer asks the Railroad Commission for a permit to drill near a right-of-way owned by TxDOT. Instead of requiring these two state agencies to work more effectively together, House Bill 1633 thrusts a new and unnecessary hurdle onto oil and gas producers to solve the State's internal communication challenges. It is within the existing power of the two state agencies to solve this problem, and they should do so."